Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya congratulated Belarusians on Orthodox Easter
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya: “Like many Belarusians, I have fond memories of Easter from childhood. It is eggs, Easter cake, smiling grandparents, and the whole family gathered around a table. People usually discuss family-related things at this table, not nuclear weapons or war. But the war is near, and nuclear weapons may soon be deployed in Belarus. […]
April 16, 2023
Belarusians must be distinguished from the regime
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya: “Today the President of Lithuania vetoed the law that imposes restrictions on Russian and Belarusian nationals in Lithuania. From the very beginning, my team worked to protect the rights of Belarusians and make these restrictions less severe. We raised these issues with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of the Interior […]
April 14, 2023
Soviet-style draft of students drags Belarus back into the past
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya: “The regime continues to pull Belarus into the past. Another official proposed an "innovation" in education: drafting students to the army during their studies, as was done in the Soviet Union. This is the only way the old men raised under the Soviet system see the country – as one not respecting an […]
April 13, 2023
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya’s speech for Days of Exile in Hamburg, 2023
You can watch Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya's speech by the following link. Text of the Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya's speech: “Dear friends, I am honored to be the patron for this year’s Days of Exile and I want to thank the Körber Foundation for inviting me to give the Speech on Exile at this important event. I would like to […]
April 12, 2023
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya: “Today Ivonka Survila, the leader of the Rada of the Belarusian Democratic Republic, celebrates her 87th birthday”
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya: “Today Ivonka Survila, the leader of the Rada of the Belarusian Democratic Republic (BNR), celebrates her 87th birthday. She embodies the historical continuity of Belarusian statehood from the founders of Belarusians’ first national state to the present day. But Ivonka Survila is not just the Rada of the BNR. She has devoted her […]
April 11, 2023
Support political prisoners and their families
Belarus keeps seeing new people arrested on political grounds every day. A raid on the town of Dziarzhynsk has led to at least 45 people being detained. Repression has reached an unprecedented level of absurdity – a Belarusian woman was arrested because her deceased husband had liked a post on social media, an entrepreneur was […]
April 10, 2023
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya’s comment on the regime’s attempts to rewrite Belarus’ history
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya: “The regime has been rewriting the history of our country for years. They have been erasing the names of our heroes and important events from textbooks and substituting facts by telling stories of a sweet life under Russian occupation. Instead of recognizing Belarusian Latin script as a historical and cultural value, the regime […]
April 08, 2023
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya: “Today, April 7, is World Health Day»
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya: “Today, April 7, is World Health Day. Every country wishes to have healthy citizens because they are the ones who work, bring benefits, and pay taxes instead of taking sick leaves. And what about healthcare in Belarus? I'm afraid you know perfectly well. Everyone remembers how the government called the coronavirus a “psychosis” […]
April 07, 2023
Diaspora conference is the platform for Belarusians abroad and political organizations to discuss pressing issues
The Second Conference of the Belarusian Diaspora, initiated by Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, will be held in Vilnius on April 22-23. It will feature representatives of organizations, communities, and initiatives of Belarusians abroad. The first conference of this format took place in September 2021 and brought together representatives of 40 Belarusian diaspora organizations from 26 countries. It […]
April 07, 2023
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya met with President of the Moldovan Parliament Igor Grosu
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya thanked the President for supporting democratic Belarus in Moldova, including his involvement in forming a group For Democratic Belarus in the Moldovan parliament, as well as for support at the Euronest Parliamentary Assembly session recently held in Chisinau. They discussed the current state of affairs in Belarus and Moldova, countering the Kremlin's propaganda, […]
April 05, 2023
Establishing a working group on migration and security issues. Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya met with Lithuanian Minister of the Interior Agnė Bilotaitė
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya thanked the minister for hearing and accepting Belarusians' proposals for amendments to the draft law on restrictive measures in view of military aggression against Ukraine. Ms. Tsikhanouskaya expressed gratitude on behalf of Belarusians that the amended draft law significantly softened the restrictions against citizens of Belarus as compared to the original draft. She […]
April 05, 2023
Lithuanian Seimas adopted restrictive measures in view of military aggression against Ukraine in the second reading. What can change for Belarusians?
On April 4, the Seimas of Lithuania passed in the second reading the bill on restrictive measures in view of military aggression against Ukraine. Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya's Advisor on Legal Issues Kristina Rikhter explained what might change for the citizens of Belarus. “The previous version of the bill imposed significant restrictions on Belarusians in obtaining visas, […]
April 04, 2023
Second Conference of the Belarusian diaspora initiated by Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya’s Office will take place in Vilnius on April 22-23
This conference continues the efforts of bringing together representatives of the Belarusian diaspora and democratic forces on one platform to establish mutual cooperation. The conference will cover the following issues: the current political strategy of the Office, United Transitional Cabinet, and Coordination Council; support for the activities of diaspora organizations; joint efforts towards the national […]
April 01, 2023
Views in Washington on Belarus, the regime, and the nuclear threat. Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya on her visit to the USA
– During the visit, the United States announced the launch of a strategic dialogue with democratic Belarus. This means by the end of this year, the democratic forces will formalize cooperation with the US government. Representatives of the Coordination Council and civil society of Belarus will be invited to the dialogue. The democratic forces will […]
March 31, 2023
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya addressed the Letter to the United Nations Security Council Regarding the Deployment of Russian Nuclear Forces on the Territory of Belarus
Head of the United Transitional Cabinet of Belarus, Leader of the Democratic Forces of Belarus Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya addressed the Letter to the United Nations Security Council Regarding the Deployment of Russian Nuclear Forces on the Territory of Belarus. Text of the letter: “Mr. President, Distinguished members of the UN Security Council, I am writing to convey the […]
March 31, 2023
Digest of Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya’s Office on Education and Science, March 2023
Please send information about everything related to education in Belarus to our secure and anonymous chatbot @eduOST_bot. Tell us the news from your educational institution or government department regarding repression and various forms of pressure from authorities, write to us about facts of corruption and new orders that seem unreasonable or irrational to you. We also […]
March 31, 2023
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya: “They won’t take away our memory”
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya: “Yesterday I got to attend the play “Dreams of Belarus.” It is still difficult to watch our stories while knowing many are not over yet. And nevertheless, we must record everything that happens to us so we do not repeat this horror in the future. I was particularly impressed when I heard the […]
March 31, 2023
Threat to the independence of Belarus must be reviewed by the UN Security Council and General Assembly
Today, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya greeted French Foreign Minister Catherine Colonna in her office in Vilnius. The meeting discussed holding the Lukashenka regime accountable so that its crimes do not go unpunished and it is brought to account for repressions against Belarusians and involvement in the war against Ukraine. Ms. Colonna and Ms. Tsikhanouskaya also discussed Putin’s […]
March 30, 2023
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya met with Natallia Pinchuk, wife of Nobel Prize laureate Ales Bialiatski
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya: “Today I had the honor to talk with Natallia Pinchuk. And this personal meeting yet again reassured me that Natallia is an incredibly courageous, brave woman with a kind heart. I know what it's like when your husband is behind bars and you are not sure how he is or how to help […]
March 30, 2023
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya met with PACE member appointed to prepare report on “Addressing the specific challenges faced by the Belarusians in exile”
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya met with Paul Galles, a member of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) appointed to prepare a report on “Addressing the specific challenges faced by the Belarusians in exile.” The meeting was yet another step in the systematic work to address the problems faced by Belarusians who had to leave […]
March 30, 2023
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya and Natallia Pinchuk’s speech at the Summit for Democracy 2023
At the invitation of President Biden, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya together with Natallia Pinchuk (wife of the Nobel Peace Prize laureate Ales Bialiatski) took part in the Summit for Democracy 2023, organized by the White House. Tsikhanouskaya and Pinchuk spoke before the speech of President Biden in the main program of the Summit. Full text of the speech: […]
March 29, 2023
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya on the arrest of Anatoli Liabedzka’s son
“Anatoli told me his son was detained in Belarus. He was detained only for being the son of his father. Sadly, I know well the pain of having your loved one behind bars for no reason. Stay strong, Anatoli”.
March 28, 2023
“Relations with hostile Russia must change”. Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya’s speech at the US Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing “U.S. Support of Democracy and Human Rights” in Washington DC, 2023
“Chairman Menendez, Ranking Member Risch, Distinguished members of the committee. Thank you for the opportunity to speak with you about the dire situation of democracy and human rights in Belarus and its implications for regional security and global interests. I will provide brief remarks while I would like to ask Chairman Menendez to accept my […]
March 28, 2023
Propagandists in universities are a troubling sign of where Belarus is headed
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya: “I have heard recently about propagandists giving lectures at Belarusian universities. I'm convinced that their desire to speak to the younger generation in person is not borne out of a great love for imparting knowledge. It's just that young people don't watch TV and are shielded from their stream of lies. It's a […]
March 28, 2023
“Belarus in Ukraine’s foreign policy”. A policy brief by Oxford Belarus Observatory
Oxford Belarus Observatory, in collaboration with the Research Centre of the Office of Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya (OST) and the Institute for Global Sustainable Development (IGSD) of the University of Warwick, is compiling a series of Policy Briefs based on the discussions taking place in our jointly convened Expert Webinar series. We invite you to read the […]
March 28, 2023
Kristina Rikhter: “From June, Belarusians in Poland will be eligible to receive travel documents for free”
On January 18 this year, the Polish Ministry of Interior's working group held another meeting involving Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya's advisor on legal issues Kristina Rikhter, representative of the Center of Belarusian Solidarity Volha Dabravolskaya, and lawyer of National Anti-Crisis Management Artsiom Praskalovich. The meeting discussed the facilitation of legalization of stay for Belarusians in Poland who […]
March 27, 2023
Rally outside White House, meeting with Belarusians, interviews with major publications. Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya continues her visit to the USA
On March 25, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya took part in the celebration of Freedom Day in Washington, D.C. She spoke at a rally outside the White House, calling on Belarusians not to give up and to continue the fight to free all political prisoners and bring the country to freedom and democracy. In her speech, Ms. Tsikhanouskaya also […]
March 26, 2023
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya’s speech at the Belarusian diaspora rally in Washington DC, 2023
“Dear Belarusians, Americans, Ukrainians, Dear Lithuanians, Poles, friends of free Belarus, and everyone who joined us today! Today we celebrate Belarus Freedom Day. On this day, 105 years ago our ancestors shouted in one voice…Enough is enough! Enough oppression! Enough tyranny! Enough suffering! Belarusians told to the world: “We are a free, European, and self-sufficient […]
March 26, 2023
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya: “Lukashenka and Putin made Belarus a target for attack”
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya: “Lukashenka violated the Constitution when he effectively destroyed the separation of powers in the 1990s and made himself the sole ruler. He violated the Constitution when he declared war on civil society, purged the political parties, took away freedom of speech from television, and then destroyed independent media. He violated the Constitution when […]
March 26, 2023